Self-contained generating and lighting unit.



H. R. VAN DEVENTER.

SELF CONTAINED GENERATING AND LIGHTING UNIT. APPLICATION FILED IULY 3|. I915.

1,184,056. Patented May23,1916.

IN J'IIIII 4VIIIIIIIIJ= inventor 0 gan ,1 1 g V STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

HARRY RANDOLPH VAN DEVENTER, OF SUMTER, SOUTH CAROLINA.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HARRY RANDOLPH VAN DEvEN'rER, a .citizen ofthe United State of America, residing at Sumter, in the county of Sumter, State of South Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements .in Self-Contained Generating and Lighting Units, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to portable electric lights and has for its object the production of a device of this character which shall be simple, economical in manufacture, and efficient in operation.

I attain my objects in the following manner: An elongated casing carries at one end the lamp and its reflector preferably formed up out of sheet metal. Within the body of the casing a very simple form of magneto generator is housed, consisting of a single U-shaped field magnet and a spindle extending parallel with its poles and lying entirely within the bend of the magnet. The armature of the machine is carried by this spindle between the poles, and the spindle is rotated by means of a traveling nut provided with finger holds and normally forced down toward the armature by a coiled spring, which is contracted by hand to rotate the spindle, and which continues to rotate the same when released.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the machine embodying my invention, the spindle being shown in full lines. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an external view, with the casing broken away on the line a, b, Fig. 1.

Like figures of reference denote the same parts wherever shown.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2,1 indicates a permanentmagnet formed in ei-shape, With in which the working parts of the machine are placed. Between the poles of the mag- I net a substantially cylindrical armature inclosing structure is secured, comprising the non-magnetic heads 2 and 3, between which are secured on opposite sides in any sultable manner the magnetic pole pieces 4 and 5, which may be of soft iron and are brought into direct contact with the polar extremities of the horseshoe magnet. These poles Specification of Letters Patent.

SELF-CONTAINED GEN ER'ATING AND LIGHTING UNIT.

Patented May 23, 1916.

Application filed July 31, 1915. Serial No. 42,945.

are hollowed out on their inside faces and fitted to rotate between them is the iron armature 6, carrying the generating winding 7 one end of which is grounded on the core of the armature and the other end is connected to an insulated terminal 8. The armature is provided with two heads 9 and 10, the former being bored and in the form shown provided with a flanged sleeve, to receive the lamp 11, whose base terminal makes direct electrical contact with the insulated terminal 8 on the armature. Being thus'secured directly to one end plate of the armature, the lamp 11 rotates therewith, and its direct electrical connection with the armature coil eliminates all brushes, sliding connections, or moving contacts of any sort between the generating windings and the lamp. Both simplicity and economy are thus subserved.

For the purpose of rotating the armature, a spindle 12 is provided, spirally curved in one-way rotation, in a manner well understood in the arts, especially with respect to automatic screw-drivers. On this threaded spindle slides a nut 13 having projecting arms or finger holds 14. Between the nut and the arch of the magnet in which the end of the spindle is journaled, a coiled compression spring 15 is provided.

The entire device is preferably inclosed within a sheet metal casing 21, upon the end of which a pressed metal cap 22 is secured, this cap being provided with a cen+ tral indented portion to surround the lamp bulb and to form a reflector therefor. The casing 21 is provided with slots in its sides through which the finger holds 14: of the spindle project.

l have shown the spindle secured at its lower end to a hub which in turn is secured to the end plate 10 of the armature, this hub projecting through a central opening in the head 2 of the polar structure, and thus furnishing one bearing for the armature in its rotation. The other bearing is furnished by the lamp sleeve which projects through the head 3 and rotates therein. Of course such details of construction are subject to modification, and they are shown and described herein only for the purpose of clarity and in order to make the invention available to others.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A self-contained generating and lighting unit comprising a dynamo having fixed and movable parts, means for driving the movable part, a winding on-said dynamo,

and a lamp lnechanically connected with the movable part to move therewith, and electrically connected with said winding.

2. A self-contained generating and lighting unit comprising a dynamo with movable part carrying a generatingcoil, means for driving said part, and a lamp carried thereby and electrically connected directly to the generating coil.

3. A self-contained gene 'ating and lighting unit comprising a dynamo having a driven armature carrying a winding, and a lamp mechanically connected to and movablewith said armature and with its filament directly connected with the generating windin".

l. A self-contained generating and lighting unit comprising a field magnet, an armature, means for applyingpower to drive the armature, and a lamp electrically connected to the armature and movable therewith.

5. A self-contained generating and lighting unit comprising a U-shaped magnet, a spindle mountedon said magnet for rotation with respect thereto, an armature core con nected to the spindle and mounted for rotation with respect to the magnet poles, a winding on said core, means for applying power to the spindle, and a lamp mechanically connected to the core and movable therewith and electrically connected to the winding thereon.

6. A self-contained generating and lighting unit comprising a dynamo with movable part carrying a generating coil, means for driving said part, and a lamp mechanically connected therewith and electrically connected directly to the generating coil, said electrical connection consisting of a terminal carried directly upon the generating coil, and a cooperating terminal upon the lamp.

7. A self-contained generating and lighting unit comprising a dynamo with movable part carrying a generating coil, means for driving said part, a lamp, a socket for said lamp on the dynamo, a terminal on the generating coil, and a cooperating terminal on the lamp making contact with the first terminal in all positions of the coil.

8. In a device of the class described. a dynamo, a lamp mounted on the movable member of said dynamo with a casing inclosing one end of the dynamo, and surrounding the lamp, said casing containing a depression of curved figure in proximity to and behind the lamp, with its inner surface polished to serve as a reflector.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HARRY RANDOLPH VAN DEVENTER.

\Vitnesses S. SHAW, Josm PINSON. 

